Method of and apparatus for forming articles from pulp



April 2, 1929. M, CHAPLIN 1,707,429

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM PULP Filed Feb. '7,1927 INVENTOR J/rk 790 0021 Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATE NT made MERLE P. GHAPLIN, OF WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO FIDELITY TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE, OFPORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPO- RATION OF MAINE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM PULP.

Application filed February 7, 1927. Serial No. 166,363.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for forming or'molding articles from pulp or like material.

it has been found desirable for various 5 reasons to form pulp articlesin several layers or interfeltod laniinations. For instance, fine gradesof pulp can be combined with coarse-r and less expensive grades toproduce articles that are inexpensive but attractive inappearance. Also,pulps of different colors and strengths can be combined.

This invention has for its salient object to provide a simple. andpractical method of and apparatus for forming a laminated, interi'eltedpulp article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a continuous process ormethod of forming intertelted, laminated molded articles.

Another object of the invention'is to provide pulpforming andmoldingmechanism so constructedand arranged that an article of thecharacter specified will be formed on the forming die upon a singlecontinuous movement thereof. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a vat for pulpmoldingmachines so constructed and arranged that one travel of the diesthrough the vat will produce on the forming dics articles having aplurality of superposed and intert'clted layers of material.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification taken in connection with the drawings, which form apart ofthis application, and in Which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a pulpmolding machine constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially on line22 of Fig. l.

The invention brielly described consists of a method of forminglaminated pulp articles by a single continuous movement of the formingdie through a plurality of difl'erent solutions of material and theapparatus for carrying outjthe method consists of a vat or receptaclehaving a plurality of compartments separated by partitions havingopenings therein permitting the passage of the or wheel having mountedon the periphery thereof a plurality of pulp forming dies 11.

. Each of the forming dies hasconnected thereto a conduit 12 whichextends inwardly toward the axis of rotation of the carrier and eunm.unicates at its inner end' with a suitable air and suction controlmechanism so arranged that the forming die will be under suction duringits travel through the vat and to the point of discharge of the moldedarticles on the compression dies. Any suitable form of control mechanismmay bentilizcd such, for instance, as that shown in my copendlngapplication Serial No. 129,130 tiled August 14, 1926.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the pulp articlesare discharged t'rom the forming dies onto compression dies 15 and areacted on successively by finishing dies 16 and 17. The articles are thendischarged by the compression dies onto transfer dies 18 from which theyare discharg d on an endless conveyor 19. This apparatu' is fullydescribed in the application reterretl to and forms no part of thepresent invention.

The gist of the invention consists in so constructing the vat or pulpreceptacle that as the forming dies 11 pass therethrough, a plurality ofdifferent layers of material will be superposed thereon. In order toaccomplish this, the vat is formed with a plurality of compartments A, Band C; The com partments are separated by partitions or baffle plates 26and 27 having openings 28 there- .in adapted to permit the rotation ofthe car rier therethrough, a slight. clearance being provided.

Each con'ipartmcnt has a separate teed pipe, these pipes beingdesignated as 30, ill and 32. The pipe 31 has a discharge nozzle 35 andit will be noted that this nozzle is directed toward the left in. Fig. 1or in a direction opposite to thedirection of rotation of the carrierand forming dies. By introducing the pulp through'the nozzle 35 in thedirection indica ted, the tendency of the pulp in the compartment A totravel into the compartment B is counteracted.

Similarly, the discharge nozzle 36 of the pipe 31 is directed toward theleft and this is also true of the nozzle 37 of pipe 32.

The discharge of pulp from the pipes 30', 31 and 32 is controlled byvalves 40, 41 and 42 which in turn are controlled by floats 45, 46 and47. It will be noted that the float 47 is so positioned that the levelof the pulp in compartment C will be higher than the level-1ncompartment B and the float 46 is so located that the level of the pulpin compartment B will be higher "than the level in compartment A. Inother words, the successive levels in the successive compartments arehigher and this also counteracts the tendency of the' pulp incompartment A to flow into the compartment B and of the pulp incompartment B to flow into compartment due to thedi'es traveling fromone compartment to another.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that as the formingdies pass through the successive compartments A, B and 0, threedifferent layers of material will be superposed thereon. Since thesuccessive layers are superposed on each other during the progress ofthe forming dies through successive solutions and before any drying orpressing of the articles, the fibers of the layers or laminations areinterfelted and intermatted to form an integral or unitary mass andthere are no lines of demarkationor separation between the layers. Ifdesired,

the com artments A and C may receive one grade 0' pulp and thecompartment B may receive another or cheaper grade of pulp. In thiscase, the article will have a plurality of 'interfelted layers of pulp.Any desired combination of pulps may be used.

From the foregoing specification it will be clear that a simple andpractical method and apparatus, has been provided for forming laminated,interfelted pulp articles.

. Although one specific embodiment of the invention has becnparticularly shown and described, it will be understood that theinvention is capable of modification and that changes in theconstruction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts maybe made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, asexpressed in the following claims.

What I claim is: 1. A continuous method of forming a series ofinterfelted, laminated pulp articles which consists in continuously andsucccssively moving forming dies through a plurality of 'ditl'erent.solutions of material and depositing said materials in successive layerson said dies. Y

2. A continuous method of forming a series of interfeltcd, laminatedpulp articles which consists in moving forming dies successivcly'througha plurality of dili'erent solutions of material and depositing saidmaterials in successive layers on said dies.

3. A continuous method of forming a series of interfelted,laminated-pulp articles which consists in successively moving formingdies through a plurality of different solutions of material anddepositing said materials in successive layers on said dies.

4. Apparatus of the character specified comprising a carrier, formingdies mounted thereon, a vat having a plurality of.compartments, andpartitions between said compartments having openings therein adapted topermit the passage of said forming dies therethron h.

5. Apparatus of the character s pecilied comprismg a carrier, formingdies mounted thereon, a vat having a plurality of compartments, andpartitions between said compartments having openings therein adapted topermit the passage of said forming dies therethrough, and means formaintaining a higher level of solution in one compartment than inanother compartment.

6. Apparatus of the character specified comprising a carrier, formingdies mounted thereon, a vat having a plurality of compartments, andpartitions between said compartments having openings therein adapted topermit the passage of said forming dies therethrough, and means formaintaining successively higher levels of solution in the successivecompartments through Which the dies travel.

7. Apparatus of the character specified comprising a carrier, formingdies mounted thereon, a' vat having different solutions therein, and apartition separating said solutions, said partition having an openingtherein dimensioned to permit the-passage of the forming diesthcrethrough.

8. Apparatus of the character specified comprising a carrier, formingdies mounted thereon, a vat having different solutions therein, apartition separating said solutions, said partition having an openingtherein dimensioned to permit the passage of the forming diestherethrough, and means for maintaining a higher level of solution onone side of the partition than on the other side thereof.

9. Apparatus ofthe character specified comprising a carrier, formingdies mounted thereon, a vat having a plurality ofconipartments,partitions between said compartments having. openings therein adapted topermit the passage of said forming dies therethereon, a vat having aplurality of com- 10 through, and means for introducing into eachpartments, and a partition between said comcompartment a solution fordeposit on the partments having an opening therein adapted dies, saidmeans being constructed and arto permit the passage of said forming dies5 ranged to introduce the solution in a direction the thr ughopposite tothe-direction of travel of the dies In witness whereof, I have hereuntoset 15 through the compartment. my hand this 3rd day of February, 1927.

10, Apparatus of the character specified 7 comprising a carrier, formingdies mounted MERLE P. CHAPLIN.

